A tragic incident occurred on a late Thursday night in Austin, Texas, where a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to several others. The collision involved over a dozen vehicles and has led to serious legal charges against one man.
According to authorities, the devastating wreck took place just before 11:30 p.m. and involved 17 vehicles. Among those tragically killed were three adults, a child, and an infant. In addition to the fatalities, 11 victims were transported to the hospital for further medical care.
The individual charged in connection with the accident is Solomun Weldekeal Araya, age 37. Austin police reported that Araya faces five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault. He is currently being held at the Travis County Jail. At this time, it is unclear whether Araya has legal representation, as jail records have not listed an attorney for him.
Details surrounding the cause of the crash have yet to be released. Police mentioned in an email sent on Friday that the investigation is still in its initial stages, and there is no additional information available at present.
Following the crash, the southbound lanes of I-35 were closed to traffic. These lanes remained closed for safety and investigative purposes before reopening around 1 p.m. the following day. The wreck left behind a chaotic scene, with numerous vehicles severely damaged and debris scattered across the roadway.
Officer Austin Zarling described the collision as “very large and very complex” in a press briefing held early Friday morning.
Edgar Viera, who happened to be in a nearby store at the time, recounted hearing the crash and promptly rushing to assist the victims. Unfortunately, he expressed the challenge they faced in helping those trapped in the wreckage due to a lack of proper equipment. “We didn’t have the proper tools to open the vehicles, so we just did what we could,” he shared. Witnessing the aftermath was a difficult experience for him.